1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems of supporting transport and playback of signals.
2. Background Art
Cable system operators and other operators providing video and audio (AV) signals to customers typically employ baseline architectures to transport the signals from a headend unit or similar feature to the customer equipment (CE), whether such signals are related to broadcast television, video on demand (VOD), or other services. The baseline architecture multiplexes the AV signals into an AV only transport that is modulated and transmitted over cable or similar transmission means to the CE. One common example relates to cable system that packetize AV signals for transport in MPEG-2 transport streams.
The ability to support bi-directional data communication with the CE and a network, such as the internet, is becoming more advantageous as CE becomes more advanced and capable of manipulating data signals. In the past, architectures supporting bi-directional data communication included a data communication unit separate from the headend unit to multiplex data signals into a data only transport. One common example relates to cable modem termination systems (CMTSs) which are typically located remotely from headends and are configured to packetize and transport data signals in data over cable services interface specification (DOCSIS) transports.
The AV transport and the data transport are separately delivered to the CE over cable or other communication mediums.